Bob Stallings, shooting a glance in the boy's direction understood what he had in hand, for the foreman had made the acquaintance of this same steer himself, earlier on the drive. The lad had worried the animal nearly to its own herd, after half an hour's struggle, when, despite all his efforts, it broke away and dashed back toward the mixed bunch. "I'll get him if it's the last thing I ever do," vowed the boy. A rawhide lariat hung from his saddle bow, and though he had practised with the rope on other occasions, he did not consider himself an expert with it. He had watched the cowboys in their use of it and knew how they threw a cow with the rope. On the spur of the moment Tad decided to use the lariat. Lifting it in his right hand and swinging the great loop high above his head, he dashed up to the running steer, and when near enough to take a cast, let go of the loop. It fell over the horns of the white animal as neatly as a cowboy could have placed it there. The coil ran out in a flash; yet quick as the boy was, he found himself unable to take a hitch around the pommel of his saddle with the free end. The running steer straightened the rope and Tad shot from his saddle still clinging desperately to the line. CHAPTER VI TAD TAKES A DESPERATE CHANCE When the freckle-faced boy took his unexpected plunge, it chanced that neither cowboys nor Pony Riders were looking his way. No one knew of his plight. As he felt the line running through his hand, Tad Butler had given it a quick hitch around his right wrist, so that when the rope drew taut, and the pony braced itself to meet the shock, the lad fairly flew through the air. The white steer had been headed for the mixed bunch which the Pony Riders were guarding. With the stubbornness of its kind, it wheeled about the instant it felt the tug on the rope and dashed for the main herd, Tad's body ploughing up the dust as he trailed along at a fearful pace behind the wild animal, whirling over and over in his rapid flight. The lad's eyes were so full of sand dust that he was unable to see where he was going. He had slight realization of the peril that confronted him. "Look! Look!" cried Walter Perkins. "What is it?" cried Ned Rector. "What's that the steer is dragging?" "I don't know." "And there's Tad's pony standing out there alone," added Walter. "You--you don't think Tad----" "As I'm alive, it is Tad! He is being dragged by the steer. He'll be killed! Watch this herd, I am going after him!" shouted Ned, putting spurs to his pony and dashing toward the main herd. At that moment the white steer, trailing its human burden, rushed in among the other cattle and was soon lost among them. Ned did not dare to set up a loud shout of warning for fear of frightening the cattle. However, he was waving his hat and excitedly trying to attract the attention of some of the cowmen. They were too busy to give any heed to him.